Monday, February 8, 2016

Annual Council Meeting and Adult Awards Luncheon

More than 200 Girl Scouts, volunteers and staff members attended the Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast Annual Council Meeting on Saturday, February 6 at the Chesapeake Conference Center.

Members of Troops 531 and 759 with Mayor Krasnoff

The Annual Council Meeting opened with a flag ceremony and invocation by members of Girl Scout Troops 531 and 759, followed by a welcoming message from Chesapeake Mayor Alan Krasnoff. Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast Board Chair Cheryle Mack and CEO Tracy Keller gave remarks about the state of the council. Mack talked about how important it is for Girl Scouts to continue to be an organization that offers outdoor experiences for girls—an opportunity for them to unplug and get to know themselves and new friends. She shared ways that Girl Scouts is doing this, including improvements to local camp properties and the creation of new outdoor badges for girls to earn. Board Treasurer Catherine Magill shared a report on finances and Marie Vesely, chair of the bylaws committee, shared the changes to the bylaws that Girl Scout volunteer delegates later voted to adopt at the meeting.

Cheryle Mack and Lauren Prox

The guest speaker for the meeting was Lauren Prox, a college freshman and Girl Scout alumna who shared how her experiences as a Girl Scout prepared her for college. Prox talked about the process of earning the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award in Girl Scouting, as well as attending the White House Science Fair and sharing her Gold Award project, which focused on STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education for minority children, with members of Congress.

“Girl Scouts taught me that no dream is too big and no issue that you care about is too small,” Prox said. “Girl Scouts gave me insights to leadership to help me succeed.”

Marisa Porto, Ashleigh, Isabella, Alexa and Cheryle Mack

At the end of the meeting, three high school Girl Scouts, Alexa, Isabella and Ashleigh, participated in a girl panel, led by Marisa Porto, a member of the Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast board of directors. The girls shared unique experiences they’ve had as Girl Scouts—including camping trips and traveling as far away as Chile—have had an impact on their passions and their interests for the future. They also talked about Girl Scouts still being relevant today, despite the organization being more than 100 years old.

“Learning how to communicate with people, especially people you’re meeting for the first time, is a really valuable skill I’ve developed as a Girl Scout,” Gonzalez said.

Following the meeting, Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast held their Annual Adult Awards Luncheon, where 35 volunteers were honored with national Girl Scout recognitions. Thirty-two volunteers and staff members who have been a part of Girl Scouts for more than 20 years were recognized with a pin for their years of service. Anne Dinterman, a Girl Scout volunteer from Williamsburg, was recognized with the Dorothy Barber Lifetime Achievement Award, and Virginia Beach Girl Scout Alauna McBride was recognized with the Buck Harris Award. At the end of the luncheon, 10 Girl Scout supporters were recognized with a Juliette Gordon Low Society pin for their decision to include Girl Scouts in their estate plans.

What We DoWe serve nearly 10,000 girls throughout southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina. With the guidance of nearly 5,000 dedicated and trained volunteers, girls discover the fun, friendship, and power of girls together.